Research from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute indicates that early introduction of peanut-containing foods can significantly reduce the incidence of peanut allergies in children. Associate Professor Rachel Peters is a key part of the National Allergy Centre of Excellence. She emphasises the need to continue to research causes of food allergies, particularly considering the varying rate in different parts of Australia.
A recent Australian study examined infant feeding practices prior to and after the 2016 implementation of new guidelines. In the end, almost 90 percent of infants had eaten peanut products by the time they were one year old. This change in dietary guidance cannot be overstated. In the not-so-distant past, experts told parents to stay away from these foods until their kids are three years of age. Peters paints an optimistic picture based on the early results following the rollout of these new guidelines. Consequently, fewer children are growing up allergic.
Only two landmark studies have been done in Australia over the past 10 years to test preventative steps to avoid developing food allergies. Importantly, Peter points out that both of the studies only recruited study participants from Melbourne. This shows the region experience a higher rate of food allergies compared to the larger Queensland region.
Our data shows this is a great benchmark to reach. Thanks to those early introduction guidelines, we have around 60,000 fewer kids with food allergies than we would’ve if no one changed their eating habits. And that’s a remarkable thing, right? That’s the size of some cities, remarked Dr. David Hill, who was one of the first to comb through pediatric health records in a recent study related to this one.
What made Peters’ study so unique was that these two cohorts were recruited through the exact same methods, but they were evaluated ten years apart. This comparison allows researchers to analyze how changes in feeding practices have influenced allergy rates over time.
We’re starting to see the effects—the first evidence of a decline in peanut allergy rates in Australia. Still, these rates are high compared to other countries and even the American study cited, where rates were nearly double that.
Since the adoption of new recommendations in 2015, the U.S. has seen comparable trends. These guidelines were centered on timing of introduction of peanut allergens to infants. According to recent findings, approximately 60,000 children in the U.S. have avoided developing peanut allergies due to these updated recommendations.
One bottom line from the LEAP study is an exceedingly important one. Researchers found that providing children with oral exposure to allergens before they are exposed through their skin can dramatically lower their risk of developing food allergies.
“We even see that within Australia. We have higher rates of food allergy in Melbourne compared to what we see in Queensland,” Peters noted, underscoring the regional differences that warrant further examination.
